NBA Playoff Preview

NBA Playoff Preview

By John Butler, XFINITY Sports The home stretch of the NBA season was a wild one. The Heat and Pacers jockeyed for No. 1 in the East, and nine spots in the playoffs were decided on the last night of regular-season play. Now that the seedings are officially set, here is a look at the first-round matchups. (Getty Images)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

More from this Slideshow

NBA Playoff Prev...By John Butler, XFINITY Sports The home stretch of the NBA season was a wild one. The Heat and Pacers jockeyed for No. 1 in the East, and nine spots in the playoffs were decided on the last night of regular-season play. Now that the seedings are officially set, here is a look at the first-round matchups. (Getty Images)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Bulls (4) vs. Wi...Congratulations to the Wizards for making the playoffs for the first time since 2008, but this trip will be short-lived. The Bulls are the best defensive team in the league. Anchored by Joakim Noah, they only give up 93 points a game. That means no easy invitations into the lane for John Wall. The one cause for concern for the Bulls is that this will be the first playoff run in 10 years without Luol Deng, who was traded to the Cavs midseason. Taj Gibson has done a solid job filling in and Jimmy Butler is gaining the confidence of coach Thibodeau, averaging 13 points a night. This series will be a learning experience for the Wizards. Pick: Bulls in 6. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Nets (3) vs. Rap...The Raptors are my dark horse in the playoffs this season, and a series victory over the Nets isn’t far-fetched. The two clubs split four games in a year where the Raptors set a franchise record with 49 wins. Toronto is a young team that knows how to get easy buckets by running the floor. DeMar DeRozen and Kyle Lowry are serious threats that will test Brooklyn's front line. The Nets thrive in slower-paced games and will need to keep the Raptors in check with possession time. Pick: Raptors in 7. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Heat (2) vs. Bob...The Bobcats should be content with being in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but let’s assume for a moment they have a legitimate shot at knocking off the Heat. Dwyane Wade is sure to be rusty after missing 11 of the last 15 games. Chris Bosh will be no match in the paint for Al Jefferson, who averages 22 points and 10 rebounds. At best, that can earn the Bobcats a lone victory in the first round. The presence of LeBron James alone will be enough for the Heat to slide by the Bobcats with ease. After all, he did torch Charlotte for 61 points earlier this year. Pick: Heat in 4. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Pacers (1) vs. H...The Pacers drew the best first-round matchup they could. It’s been a struggle down the stretch for the No. 1 seed. Plagued by chemistry concerns since trading Danny Granger, Indiana has a number of unlikely losses on its record, one of which being a blowout loss to Atlanta in early April. Still, the Hawks simply don’t have enough to pull off four upset victories to win the series. Paul Milsap will provide an early test for the Pacers’ Roy Hibbert in the paint. The wild card for Indiana will be whether or not Paul George can find his groove. Pick: Pacers in 5. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Rockets (4) vs. ...This is perhaps the most evenly matched series of the first round. Both the Rockets and the Blazers average more than 100 points per game. Both clubs can feed the ball inside to Dwight Howard and LaMarcus Aldridge. Not to mention we will get to see James Harden go head-to-head with Portland’s budding star Damian Lillard. While the Blazers are on a tear, winning 9 of 10 games down the stretch, the depth of the Rockets will be the deciding factor. Houston has the luxury of relying on Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin while its starters sit. Expect the Blazers to be hard-pressed to stop the seven-foot Asik, who is averaging 10 points and 14 rebounds a night in his last 10 games. Pick: Rockets in 6. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Spurs (1) vs. Ma...The Spurs finished off another quiet string of victories to earn the best record in the NBA. The Mavs clawed their way into the playoffs by winning five of seven to close out the season. Dallas isn’t a young team, and the inability to rest down the stretch like San Antonio will hurt its chances. Add to that the Mavs are 0-4 against the Spurs this season, and it’s no wonder they're a longshot. Pick: Spurs in 6. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Clippers (3) vs....Blake Griffin continues to improve his all-around game. The All-Star is averaging 24.1 points a night and has added a nice midrange offensive game to his arsenal. The key for Griffin to be a force is this series is his mental toughness. He tallied up 16 technical fouls in the regular season and many of them were retaliatory. If he can remain poised and allow point guard Chris Paul to lead the way, the Clippers have a legitmate shot to reach the second round. The Warriors on the other hand live and die by the jump shot. Stephen Curry is shooting 42 percent from beyond the three-point line, but an untimely shooting slump could spell trouble. In addition, Golden State has lost Andrew Bogut (rib). With his injury, the Warriors just aren’t long enough to contend with guys like DeAndre Jordan and Griffin. Pick: Clippers in 5. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

Thunder (2) vs. ...Don’t be fooled by the Grizzlies’ seventh seed. They struggled early when big man Marc Gasol was sidelined for 23 games with an MCL sprain, but have since bounced back. His return in January was marked by a 9-1 run. The Thunder are definitely the favorite with Russell Westbrook and scoring champion Kevin Durant, but the Grizzlies are comfy in the underdog role. To wit, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol were the cornerstones of the 2011 team that stunned the Spurs to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. Westbrook’s health is the only glaring concern for OKC. If he can avoid injury, this series should be a nice set-up for a deep postseason run. Pick: Thunder in 7. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.